A word about Kayaks

[Old plug]

On 7/25/2018 at 11:09 PM, MOsmallies said:

Love my Kayak... My only complaint is I wish I could use it more often! Haven't had it on LOZ but its perfect on the Smallmouth Streams!

I certainly hope you have no desire to give it a shot of having it on LOZ my friend..  Place gets crazier every day . Last evening a buddy and me were coming in right at dusk and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a Runabout towing a shall child down the channel of of the Gravois on a tub not far below a drunk tank known as coconuts.  Had that kid fell off he might have had a hard time finding him.Then again the driver  might have been too drunk himself to see. 

[fishinwrench]

11 hours ago, Old plug said:

 not far below a drunk tank known as coconuts

Honestly the stigma being permanently attached to Coconut's is undeserved.  It gets a tad rowdy once or twice per year, but for the most part it has evolved into a very family friendly place.    They don't over-serve, and they certainly can't control what people do after they leave.  

Typically folks will spend awhile at Coconut's, then they'll go cove out in Indian Creek the rest of the day.   If they are wasted when they head out of the Gravois arm it isn't directly because of Coconut's.

[snagged in outlet 3]

On ‎7‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 11:09 PM, MOsmallies said:

Love my Kayak... My only complaint is I wish I could use it more often! Haven't had it on LOZ but its perfect on the Smallmouth Streams!

That seat looks great compared to what I was in.  Nice fish!!

[nomolites]

2 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Honestly the stigma being permanently attached to Coconut's is undeserved.  It gets a tad rowdy once or twice per year, but for the most part it has evolved into a very family friendly place.    They don't over-serve, and they certainly can't control what people do after they leave.  

Typically folks will spend awhile at Coconut's, then they'll go cove out in Indian Creek the rest of the day.   If they are wasted when they head out of the Gravois arm it isn't directly because of Coconut's.

My dislike is related to the extra numbers of large displacement boat traffic associated with the above routine.  The Gravi USED to be an area a guy could fish main lake structure during the summer.  No more, and not a change I have welcomed.  Many of these operators have the LOZ big boat mind set - I have had them pass close enough I could almost touch them and not so much as a wave or acknowledgement I was even there.  Meanwhile, there is usually 1/2 mile of open water to their opposite side...absolutely no courtesy at all.  At least you can pretty much set your watch by these 🤡 and clear out before they break to/from Dry Branch or the bar and avoid “the rush”.

Mike

 

[ColdWaterFshr]

I guess I'm the odd man out here, but I have yet to find a kayak that I would prefer fishing out of more than my canoe.  Just feels like I don't have enough space to stretch out or to put all my stuff.  And they don't sit high enough for casting, or for better view of the water I'm casting to.  Just a few inches higher makes a tremendous difference.  And I like to be able to move my legs around in more positions than a kayak will allow.  And that big double bladed paddle is always in the way.

Would like to spend a little more time in a Jackson.  Maybe it would grow on me, but I doubt it.

 

 

[tjm]

On 7/24/2018 at 2:14 PM, Flysmallie said:

 

It depends on the person I guess. I'm as big a guy as you will probably find in a kayak and the only time I would rather have the canoe is when I need to carry a lot of gear. 

That does not say why you and others chose yak over canoe, I missed that part when web shopping. It seemed that at 3-400# capacity the yaks are canoe length and weight, or maybe I didn't find the right yak?

Given that each weighed ~same and both same length, why pick one or the other as your only boat?  (for now we'll say that each cost $12000, and that isn't a factor)

[ColdWaterFshr]

A good solo canoe, or even small tandem canoe is far more versatile in my opinion than a kayak -- IF you could only have one boat.  Weight, size, cost being equal.  Not discounting kayaks entirely, but to re-hash what I said above:

1) Overnight trips to carry more gear, but even day trips . . . to lay out your rods on the thwarts for quick and easy access, and protection of your rods from branches on creeks and rivers.

2) general comfort . . . leg position not limited, and your lower back is better off with the addition of a good and inexpensive adjustable  seat back chair; posterior not constantly wet from either cradling a paddle in your lap or due to low proximity to water.

3) higher sitting position for view and better casting. 

 

The only advantages I can give to a kayak over a canoe is:

1) wanting to paddle upstream and then back down

2)  a very windy day

3)  wanting to cover some major distance on a day trip (10+ miles)

[Gavin]

Your a canoe guy CW....you don't need a man bun or a kayak for what you do! Nothing wrong with a kayak...great for a day trip, sucks for more unless your a minimalist into eating surplus MRE's. Have never found the perfect boat for everything. 

[fishinwrench]

The personal pontoon craze has sure petered out, hasn't it?   I really enjoyed that for a couple years but went right back to a canoe.  It just does it all, and does it well.

[ColdWaterFshr]

33 minutes ago, Gavin said:

Your a canoe guy CW....you don't need a man bun or a kayak for what you do! Nothing wrong with a kayak...great for a day trip, sucks for more unless your a minimalist eating into eating surplus MRE's. Have never found the perfect boat for everything.

You nailed it.  You got a paddle john, several canoes, several kayaks . . . but which one do you go to MOST?